Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety Friday approved a contract for Main Street sanitary sewer improvements.
The $94,000 contract was approved between the city and Wessler Engineering.
The sanitary sewer replacement consists of approximately 1,200 level feet of new 15-inch sanitary sewer to replace existing 15-inch and 8-inch sanitary sewers from east of Fort Wayne Avenue to west of Reed Street. It also consists of sewer rehabilitation of approximately 3,760 feet of 10-inch sanitary sewer rehabilitation from west of Reed Street to Colfax Street.
“There is a sewer pipe that needs replaced because there has been flooding for decades in Central Park and Fort Wayne Street,” said Theresa Sailor, stormwater utility coordinator. “We need to look at improving our efficiency in that line.”
James Emmans, city engineer, said the pipe has not been replaced since 1960.
“The flooding problems we are having is because this pipe is aging,” Emmans said.
The board also approved a contract for a storm sewer engineering feasibility study for $35,500 with StructurePoint Inc. The study will be from Detroit to Osborne Street.
The stormwater truck line serves as an urban watershed over a mile long and has two pump stations. There is regular flooding in Central Park, and it backs up further upstream which causes localized flooding and has done so for years, according to Sailor.
Additionally, the current pipe runs under the park’s department maintenance property and is a concern for future development of Buffalo Street and sanitary sewer improvements being developed in the area.
“The storm sewer system in this area is an important and necessary part of the Warsaw storm sewer,” Sailor said.
The problems associated with the stretch of sewer are complex and require an engineering firm with adequate specialty resources to look at all the available options to meet the needs for the entire community, she said.
As part of the contract, the entire system from Ind. 15 to Osborne Street would be evaluated with respect to future development needs, parks department needs, flood abetment, pump station relocation and the protection of water quality going into Center Lake.
Jennifer Whitaker, human resources director, announced the city received a letter of resignation Friday from Todd Slabaugh, Warsaw building commissioner, stating he resigned effective Friday after serving in the position for 14 years.
Whitaker said the hiring process will begin shortly.
During a phone call Friday afternoon, Slabaugh said he is resigning for personal reasons. He said he will continue to serve as a councilman on Etna Green Town Council.
The board also approved:
• A $43,425.11 payment to Faegre Baker Damils and a $45,073.88 payment to H.J. Umbaugh and Associates for work on the Buffalo Street improvement project.
• A street closure request of Buffalo Street Sept. 10 from 3:30 to 8 p.m. for a block party for donors of Kosciusko County Foundation.
• A contract for a caricature artist for the Family Carnival Aug. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Central Park Plaza.
• A contract for balloon and face painting for the family carnival.
• A $4,330 grant to Warsaw Parks Department from the Indiana Arts Commission for Central Park Concert Series.
• A $5,424.60 payment to A & Z Engineering for engineering services on the Husky Trail Project and a $14,600 payment to A & Z Engineering for right of way acquisition services for the project.
• A $549,970 contract with Phend and Brown for work on the Mariners Drive rehabilitation project.
• Advertising agreements for the city to advertise in the 2016 Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau Guide and Paulette Davis to serve as the public arts coordinator for the city.
Davis’s salary will be $10,000 salary as the coordinator. She will be responsible to organize the Walk n Wander Seward Johnson sculptures that will be brought back to the downtown for a second year next year.
• Salaries for Damian Pass, street department garage and maintenance supervisor, at $20.74 an hour; Paul Gabbard, wastewater maintenance tech, at $16.40 an hour; and Staci Young, mayor’s assistant, at $1,645.70 bi-weekly.
• A $23,014.72 contract with Warsaw Police Department and Rick’s Electronics for equipment and installation of a telephone system for the department.
Scott Whitaker, police chief, said the department has had the same phone system since 2002 that needs to be repaired.
The board opened bids for a garbage truck and received three bids from Link Equipment, Pyramid Equipment and Best Equipment. The board will take them under advisement and vote on them at the August meeting.
• A release of mortgages for properties at 309 S. Washington St. and 516 E. Clark St.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer gave an update on the Market Street reconstruction project and said it is scheduled to be completed in October.
(Story by The Times Union)
